Sounding and illuminated figured infant&#39;s toy



April 7, 1953 E. A. SCHAEFER SOUNDING AND ILLUMINATED FIGURED INFANTS TOY Filed May s, 195o Patented Apr. 7, 1 953 ff OFFICE SOUNDING AND ILLUMINATED FIGURED INFANTS TOY Emmett A. Schaefer, Higginsville, Mo.

Application May 8, 1950, Serial No. 160,781

(Cl. i6-117) 4 Claims.

This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in infants toys, and has as its prn- :cipal lobject the provision of a toy adapted to be suspended in an infants crib or the like and adapted when agitated to sound either an audible signal such as the tinkling of a bell, or to emit a visible signal such as the flashing of a light, and means for selectively'setting either of said signals in operation. The audible signal is intended for use in the daytime, and the visible signal for use at night when a noisy toy would distract the infant and keep him awake, and annoy others who might be sleeping nearby.

Another important object is the provision in a toy of the character described'having audible and visible signal generating means, of a single operating means whereby as one signal generating means is lactuated the other signal generating means is automatically deactuated.

Other objects are simpli-city and economy of construction, dependability, durability, and adaptability for general use as a toy.

With these objects in View, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the'drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is an elevational view of an infants toy embodying the present invention, shown suspended in its operative position.

, Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line II-II of Fig. 1, with certain parts, including the electrical tilt switch, left in elevation.

Y Fig.-3 isan enlarged fragmentaryviewsimilar to Fig. 2, showing details of the electrical tilt switch.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line lV-IV of Fig. 3. f

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views and the numeral 2 applies to a housing having generally the form of a doll, with a spherical body portion 4 and a smaller spherical head portion 6. The body portion"`4 may be madel of any, suitablematerial which is transparent or translucent and which has electrical insulating properties.v Plastic is preferred. Said body portion has the form of a hollow sphere, with a thickened portion 8 at the top.vthereof.' An integral cylindrical necklll extends upwardly from the body' member, and an extension'A I2 extends downwardly from 'thickened portion 8 into 'the'in'terior of the body member. Extension I2 is coaxial with neck I0. Neck I is externally threaded, and a bore I4 extends axially through neck I0 from the upper end 2 thereof. Said bore extends downwardly into extension I2; and is provided at its lower end with a portion I6 of reduced diameter, in which is placed a small electric lamp I3 with its base up.

A thin metallic conductor strip 20 extends alongone side of bore I4, being bowed inwardly adjacent its lower end as at 22 for resiliently engaging the threaded base of lamp' I8, and having its upper end over a lip 24 formed at the upper end cf neck I0. Y y

Lamp I8 is operated by a dry cell 25 which is |carried slidably in bore I4 with its central or positive terminal 28 at the lower end thereof. interposed between dry cell 26 and lamp I8 is a tilt switch 3D shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. It comprises a substantially cylindrical hollow housing 32 made of insulating material, a metallic `contact plate 34 tted in the lower end of said housing and having a concave upper surface, a spherical metallic ball 36 carried within said housing and supported on said concave surface, an inverted metallic cup 38 forming the side and top interior walls of said housing and spaced apart from plate 34 andV a contact member 4i! attached to cup 38 and extending through the upper end of said housing. Said switch is adapted to be inserted in bore I4, plate 34 thereof contacting the `center terminal 42 of lamp I3. Dry cell 25 is urged upwardly to maintain terminal 28 thereof out of contact with contact 4D of the tilt switch `by a spring 44 suiiiciently strong to overcome the weight of the dry'cell. Contact strip 2li rests in sliding contact with the housing of dry cell 26, said housing forming the negative terminal of the cell. The paper casing in which such dry cells are usually furnished is removed for use in this toy. Dry `cell 26 extends above the upper end of neck I0.

Head portion 6 of the toy is of hollow spherical form, with a thickened portion 46 at the bottom thereof. An internally threaded bore 48 is formed through said thickened portion for screw; engagement with neck I0 of the body portion, whereby said head and body portions may be moved relatively closer or farther apart. Fixed in head portion 6 by means of rivet 5D is a bell 52. Said bell is disposed in axial alignment with bore I4 of the body portion, and comprises es-` sentially a hollow metallic sphere slitted diametrically at 54 and having one or more metallic balls 56 carried therein. Holes 58 are formed in head 6 for the escape of the sound of the'bell.

Fitted over the upper end of dry cell 26 is a |cap 60 made of soft rubber or other similar material. The upper surface of sail cap is concave to Iconform to the curvature of bell 52, and said bell may be moved to and from contact with said cap by moving head along neck lil.

The toy is suspended by a pair of straps 62 eX- tending oppositely therefrom. Said straps are secured at one end to brackets t4 molded in the thickened top B of body 6, and at their opposite ends to any suitable support such as side rails 65 of an infan'*s crib, whereby the toy will be suspended within easy reach of the iniants: hands and feet. Each strap is provided with a buckle 68 whereby its effective length may be adjustedg Brackets 54 are disposed at the. tup of. the body 4 in order that the toy when suspended will-normally assume a position with its axis substantially vertical.

The operation of the toy is substantially. as, follows. The operating circuit for lamp' IBis positive 4 means carried in said housing and adapted to be actuated by manual agitation of said housing, and means for securing said noise making means against operation, said securing means and said switch operating means being mechanically interrelated in such a manner that said lamp and said noise making means cannot function simultaneously.

2.` A toyVV comprising a housing adapted to be suspended in a freely hanging position, an electric apparatus carried in said housing and forming an operative circuit including a lamp and source of electric-power, a tilt-responsive switch disposed in `said circuit, a manually operable switch disposed in said circuit, means urging said manually operable switch open, a manually movable operating member for closingA said manually operable switch,

terminal 28 of `dry cell 2t through Contact all of switch 30, cup 38, ball 36 (when the toy is tilted or agitated), plate 34, lamp |,8, and contact strip Zlfto the Anegative terminal or housing of dry cell 2d; When headV 6 isa-dvanced upwardly on neck il), bell. b2 is moved out of contact-with pad Eil and spring i4 urges dry cell terminal 28v away from. tilt switchterminal` fw, thereby breaking the-lamp circuit. When thetoyis tilted or agi-- tated by-the infant, ball 55 will be shakenA about in bel-l.. 5?.;- to cause, al pleasant ringing sound. When head 6 is screwed downwardly on neck i toward; body 11 bell 52 comes into contact with pad. Bil', which effectively deadens said'bell. As said head is movedSdownwardly still farther, bell 52 forces dry cell 26 downwardly against spring 44 till terminal 28` thereof touches Contact 451 of thevtilt switch, thereby completingthe lamp circuit; except. for the tilt switch. Then when the toy is tilted.- or agitated by the. infant, ball 3-6 will be caused. to roll toward the edges of concave plate 34 and to touch cup 38. When said ball touches said plate and cup simultaneously, the lamp circuit is complete and the lamp will burn.. The lamp will light only intermittently however, since it constantly seeks a. vertical position wherein ball E15 will roll, to the center of plate 34- andaway from cup 36.

Thusit is apparent that I have invented a.Y toy having certain advantages. t provides, in a toy having both audible and visible signalling means, asingle operating means whereby either signallingmeans mayv be actuated selectively, and the other deactuated, or whereby both signalling means may be deactuated. It interrelates the two signalling means as described` even though one. is mechanical, and the other electrical. The toy and' a bell carried in said housing and adapted tobe operated by manual agitation of said housing, said bell having manually movable relative to said manual switch to engage saldi switch operating means tov close said switch, wherebysaid switch operating, member dampens said bell.-

3. A; toy comprising a housing adapted to be suspended. in a freelyhangingposition, anA elec-r tric apparatus carried in said housing and :torm-1 ing an` operative circuit including a lamp and. source of. electric powenatilt responsive switch disposed in said, circuit, a manually operable switch disposed in said circuit, means urging-said manually operable switch open; a manually mov-- able operating, member` for closing said-V manually operable switch, a bell dampermembercarried on said switch operating member, and a bell carried in said housing and adapted to be operated by manual agitation of.A saidV housing, said. belll beingv manually movable to engage said. damper whereby' said switch operating member is caused to close said switch, and whereby said. bell'is damped.

e. A toy comprising a housing adapted. to be suspended in a freely hanging-position, saidhousing having head and body portions threadably joined whereby the` distancel between centers thereof may be adjusted, an electric Acircuit carried in said body and including a lamp,A a tilt responsive switch disposed in said circuit, a manual switch disposed in said` circuit, a member carried operating member to its open position, a bell is very simple in' construction, all working parts are; easily made accessible for repair or replacement simply by separatingA the head and body portions.

While I have shown a specific embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that manyv minor changes of construction and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claimV as new and desire to protect by Letters. Patent is: u

l.. A toy comprising aV housing. adapted to be suspended, an electrical circuit including a lamp carried in said housing, a manually operable switch disposedl in said circuit', means for manually operating said switch,.a tilt responsive switch disposed in saidcircuit, mechanical noise making carried by said head and adapted'to be operated by manual agitation of said housing, and abell damping member carried by said switchoperating membenwhereby: as said head and body are relatively moved said bell will be moved to and..from operative contact with said' damping member, whereby said switch operating member is caused to open or close said manual Switch.4

EMMIETT A. SCHAEFER;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Flynn oct. r1, 1949 

